Current Affairs Today

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs March 22 & 23 2026, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2026 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

FM Nirmala Sitharaman Launches ‘PRARAMBH 2026’ IT Awareness Campaign
In March 2026, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance (MoF) and Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MoCA), launched PRARAMBH 2026 (Policy Reform and Responsible Action for Mission Viksit Bharat) in New Delhi (Delhi), a nationwide Income Tax Department awareness campaign for the implementation of the Income Tax (IT) Act, 2025, effective from April 1, 2026.
Overview PRARAMBH 2026 Campaign:
Objective: Aims to promote taxpayer awareness and ensure a citizen-centric tax administration under the IT Act, 2025 guided by “Nagrik Devo Bhava”.
Campaign: PRARAMBH is a multi-channel initiative across print, television, radio, digital, social media, and outdoor platforms.
Framework: Aligned with M.A.N.A.V. –Moral and Ethical Systems, Accountable Governance, National Sovereignty, Accessible and Inclusive Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Valid and Legitimate Systems.
Digital: Launch of upgraded Income Tax Website 2.0 and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled chatbot Kar Saathi for improved taxpayer services.

MoHFW Constitutes National Dental Commission, replaces Dental Council of India
In March 2026, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) constituted the National Dental Commission (NDC), replacing the Dental Council of India (DCI).

• This newly constituted body aimed to transform Dental Education aimed at improving the quality of dental education and aligning it with global standards.

About National Dental Commission: 
Statutory Body: NDC has been established as a statutory body under National Dental Commission (NDC Act, 2023) which came into force on March 19, 2026, repealing the Dentist Act, 1948.
Structure: Also, three autonomous bodies been constituted under NDC:

• The Undergraduate and Postgraduate Dental Education Board has been tasked  to oversee dental education.
• Dental Assessment and Rating Board  will regulate accreditation and institutional assessment.
• Ethics and Dental Registration Board  will administer professional conduct and registration of dentists

Composition: Dr. Sanjay Tewari  has been appointed as the Chairperson of newly formed NDC, with Dr. Mousumi Goswami  as its part-time member.

NBA Constitutes Expert Committee on Invasive Alien Species to Mitigate Ecological and Economic Threats in India
In March 2026, the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), constituted a multi-disciplinary Expert Committee on Invasive Alien Species under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (amended in 2023),  to address rising ecological and socio-economic threats to biodiversity and food security in India.

• The decision follows proceedings by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which highlighted the threats posed by invasive alien species to biodiversity, ecosystems, agriculture, food security, and health, and was supported by an advisory from MoEFCC.

About the Expert Committee on Invasive Alien Species:
Leadership: Dhananjai Mohan, former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Uttarakhand, will serve as Chair, and A. Biju Kumar, Vice Chancellor of Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), will serve as Co-Chair.
Tenure: The committee will function for a period of two years.
Mandate: The committee will prepare a consolidated national list of invasive alien species (IAS) based on State Forest Departments (SFDs) inputs, prioritise high-risk species, and recommend science-based strategies for prevention, control, eradication, and ecological restoration.

India and Indonesia Collaborate to Restore Prambanan Temple in Yogyakarta, Indonesia
In March 2026, India and Indonesia announced a collaborative initiative to restore the Prambanan Temple complex in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, strengthening cultural diplomacy and heritage conservation.

• This discussion took place on March 16, 2026, when Indonesia’s Culture Minister Fadli Zon met the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Prambanan Overview:
Location: Prambanan is the largest Hindu temple complex located in Sleman near Yogyakarta, in Java, Indonesia, and is locally known as Roro Jonggrang.
Origin: The temple was built in the 9th century by the Sanjaya dynasty and is dedicated to the Hindu Trimurti—Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma.
Recognition: It was recognised as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site in 1991.
Architecture: The complex reflects a blend of indigenous Javanese styles and South Indian Pallava influences and comprises 240 temples with intricate carvings from the Ramayana and other Hindu epics

NPC Signs Agreement with MoEF&CC to Act as Environment Audit Designated Agency
In March 2026, the National Productivity Council (NPC), under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I), signed an agreement with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to act as the Environment Audit Designated Agency (EADA) under the Environment Audit Rules (EAR).

• The EAR 2025 was officially notified on August 29, 2025, to institutionalize standardized environmental auditing and enhance transparency in industrial compliance.

Role of NPC as EADA:
Objective: Aims to strengthen environmental compliance, enhance transparency, standardise auditing practices, and improve monitoring, reporting accuracy, and overall environmental governance outcomes.
Responsibilities: Encompasses certification and registration of auditors, development of eligibility criteria and screening methodologies, monitoring performance, issuing guidelines, and taking disciplinary actions including suspension, cancellation, or renewal.
Certification: Includes certification of Certified Environmental Auditors (CEA) and registration of Registered Environmental Auditors (REA) through examinations and defined criteria.

DoT Launches 5G Innovation Hackathon 2026
In March 2026, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), under Ministry of Communications, launched the ‘5G Innovation Hackathon 2026’, the second edition of its flagship initiative under the ‘100 5G Use Case Labs program’, to promote indigenous, scalable solutions using 5G (Fifth Generation), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies.

• Open to students, start-ups, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and independent innovators across India, the hackathon runs from 20 March 2026 to 17 April 2026, with final results announced on 1 October 2026.

5G Innovation Hackathon 2026:
Process: Applications are submitted via the official portal through nodal 5G labs and evaluated through institute screening, regional assessment, national presentations, prototype development, and final demonstrations.
Support: Provides Rs.50 lakh seed funding, financial assistance, and access to 100 5G Use Case Labs for testing, validation, and refinement.
Awards: The competition offers a total prize pool exceeding Rs. 10 lakh, with Rs. 5,00,000 for the first prize, Rs. 3,00,000 for the second prize, and Rs. 1,50,000 for the third prize, along with a Rs. 50,000 award for the Best Idea. In addition, IPR support will be provided to up to 25 teams to assist with Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).
1st Edition: 2025 (launched March 2025, winners Oct 2025 at IMC)
Focus: Covers applications in healthcare, agriculture, education, industrial automation, and disaster management, including advanced areas like Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), network slicing, and telecom security.
Outcome: Winning innovations will be showcased at India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026.

9th India–Italy Foreign Office Consultations Held in New Delhi to Strengthen Strategic Partnership
On 20 March 2026, India and Italy held the 9th round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC), a bilateral diplomatic meeting between their foreign ministries, in New Delhi (Delhi), to comprehensively review their bilateral strategic partnership and discuss regional and global issues of mutual interest.

• The consultations were led by Sibi George, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and Nicoletta Bombardiere, Director General (DG) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy.

About India–Italy FOC 2026:
JSAP: Both sides reviewed progress of the Joint Strategic Action Plan (JSAP) 2025–29 covering trade, technology, space, defence, security, renewable energy, education, research, innovation, culture, and people-to-people ties.
Security: India and Italy agreed to expedite the Joint Initiative to Counter Financing of Terrorism (CFT) and to hold the first Maritime Security Dialogue (MSD), while also discussing regional and global issues including developments in the Indo-Pacific and West Asia.
Relations: India–Italy ties are on an upward trajectory with a growing strategic partnership and regular institutional engagements, with both sides agreeing to hold the next 10th round of FOC in Italy.

BANKING & FINANCE

BoB Launches UPI-linked Credit Line for Women SHGs 
In March 2026, Bank of Baroda (BoB), one of India’s leading Public Sector Bank (PSBs), launched the Overdraft (OD) facility on credit line on Unified Payments Interface (UPI)  for verified women Self-Help Group (SHG) members who hold Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) accounts.

• With this, BoB becomes the 1st bank in the country to launch such a digital credit solution.

Key Details:
Maximum OD: This newly launched facility will enable the eligible women with PMJDY accounts to access maximum Rs 5,000 as an OD, bolstering financial inclusion and women-led economic empowerment.
Key Partners: The new initiative was launched in collaboration with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Indian Banks Association (IBA) and the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).

RBI Imposed Rs 31.80 Lakh Penalty on HSBC for Non-Compliance with Deposit Norms
In March 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a monetary penalty of Rs. 31.80 lakh on Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, India (HSBC India) for non-compliance with regulatory directions related to inoperative accounts and unclaimed deposits.
Overview of RBI Penalty:
Violations: The bank failed to maintain a searchable database of unclaimed deposits, did not generate Unclaimed Deposits Reference Number (UDRN), and showed lapses in deposits transferred to the Depositor Education and Awareness (DEA) Fund, under Section 26A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
Penalty: The monetary penalty is imposed solely for deficiencies in statutory and regulatory compliance to ensure adherence to RBI norms and protect depositor interests, without affecting customer transactions and without prejudice to further action.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Indian Mountaineer Bhupathiraju Anmish Varma Sets Guinness World Record for Seven Volcanic Summits
In March 2026, Bhupathiraju Anmish Varma, a native of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh, AP), scripted history by setting a new Guinness World Record (GWR) for the fastest time to climb the Seven Volcanic Summits (in male category), completing the challenge in 92 days, 4 hours, and 45 minutes, breaking previous global benchmarks.
 Key Details:
Expedition Journey: Varma officially started his expedition from Mount Elbrus (Europe) in Southwest Russia on 23 October 2024  concluded his journey  in Sidley, remote terrain of Antarctica on 23 January 2025.
Official Recognition: The record was officially recognized on 6 February 2026, and Varma received his certificate in Delhi on 17 March 2026.
Seven Volcanic Summits: Mount Elbrus (Europe); Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa); Mount Damavand (Asia);  Pico de Orizaba (North America); Ojos del Salado (South America); Mount Giluwe (Oceania) and Mount Sidley (Antarctica)

William Dalrymple Wins Mark Lynton History Prize 2026 for ‘The Golden Road’
In March 2026, historian William Dalrymple was awarded the Mark Lynton History Prize 2026 for his book “The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World.”
Key Highlights:
Administration: The prize is part of the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize Project and is administered by the Nieman Foundation for Journalism and the Columbia University School of Journalism.
Cash Prize: The Mark Lynton History Prize is an annual award carrying a cash prize of USD10,000.
Published: Published by Bloomsbury India, the book draws from Dalrymple’s decades of research on Indian history.
Award Nature: The Mark Lynton History Prize is an annual international award recognising outstanding historical writing with emphasis on intellectual depth, literary excellence and clarity of expression. The award is named after Mark Lynton, an author and advocate of historical writing.
About William Dalrymple: William Dalrymple is a renowned historian and author known for his contributions to historical writing. His notable works include White Mughals, The Last Mughal, Return of a King and The Anarchy.

Indian Actress Rituparna Sengupta Receives Women Empowerment Award at UK’s House of Commons
In March 2026, renowned Indian actress and  National Film Awardee Rituparna Sengupta was honored with the Women Empowerment Award for Arts and Culture at the House of Commons (British Parliament) in London, the United Kingdom (UK).

• She received the award in recognition of her work in art and culture during an event organised by London(the UK)-based registered Community Interest Company (CIC), GloWomen CiC to mark International Women’s Day (observed annually on March 08).

About Rituparna Sengupta:
Notable Work: She is best known for her films like: Rajkahini (2015), Ahaa Re (2019), and Parcel (2020).
National Film Award: She was honoured with the National Film Award in ‘Best Actress’ category for her role in Rituparno Ghosh’s film Dahan (1998).
Other Awards/honors: She won Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress for her outstanding performance in ‘Alik Sukh’ in 2014.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

NIOT Tests Indigenous Floating LiDAR Buoy to Enhance Weather Forecasting & Offshore Wind Energy in TN
In March 2026, the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), successfully tested an indigenously developed Floating Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) Buoy System off the coast of Muttom, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu (TN), marking a significant advancement in India’s ocean observation and renewable energy capabilities.

• It enhances weather forecasting, cyclone prediction, through improved atmospheric and oceanographic modelling and supports offshore wind energy through better modelling, assessment, and optimization of renewable energy generation.

About Floating LiDAR Buoy Technology:
Definition: A Floating LiDAR Buoy is an ocean-based device that uses LiDAR technology mounted on a floating platform to measure offshore wind speed and direction at various heights, providing accurate, continuous data even in deep-sea areas where traditional towers are not feasible.
Mechanism: LiDAR operates by emitting laser pulses that reflect off atmospheric particles to measure wind speed, direction, and movement, providing highly accurate data up to 300 metres (m) above sea level.
Platform: The buoy is a stable floating structure engineered to operate reliably in harsh marine environments while maintaining data accuracy.
Security: It enhances maritime situational awareness and operational readiness of the Indian Navy (IN) in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kailash Satyarathi’s Book ‘Karuna: The Power of Compassion’ Released
In March 2026, 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarathi’s latest book titled ‘Karuna: The Power of Compassion’ was formally launched by the Satyarathi Movement for Global Compassion (SMGC), in association with Harper Collins India.

• The book was unveiled in the presence of Justice Surya Kant, Chief Justice of India (CJI) and Dr. Kiran Bedi, former Lieutenant (Lt.) Governor of Puducherry.
• Previously, the book was scheduled for release at the 19th Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) in January 2026 in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

About The Book:
Key Focus: The book emphasizes compassion which can be a transformative, active force to combat global crises  such as inequality and conflict.
CQ Concept: The book introduces Compassion Quotient (CQ), a scientific approach to measure and increase compassion in individuals and organisations.
The Nobel Peace Prize (2014): Kailash Satyarthi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. He shared the prize with Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan.

• For their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Sparrow Day 2026 – March 20
World Sparrow Day (WSD) is observed globally on March 20 each year to highlight the alarming decline in sparrow populations, especially the house sparrow (Passer domesticus), and to encourage efforts toward their conservation and the protection of urban biodiversity.

• 20 March 2026 marks the 17th observance of the WSD.
• 2026 Theme: “Creating Bird-Friendly Cities & Communities”

Background:
Origin: WSD was initiated by the Nature Forever Society (NFS), founded by Mohammed Dilawar, in collaboration with the Eco-Sys Action Foundation (France).

• Mohammed Dilawar was named a “Heroes of the Environment” awardee by TIME Magazine in 2008 for his conservation work.

First Observance: The first WSD was celebrated on 20 March 2010.

STATE NEWS

Telangana Budget 2026-27: FM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, presents Rs 3.24 lakh crore budget
In March 2026, Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka presented the Telangana State Budget for Financial Year 2026–27 (FY27) with a total outlay of Rs 3,24,234 crore, an increase of nearly Rs 20,000 crore compared to FY26 (Rs 3.04 lakh crore).

• The state’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) is estimated at Rs 17,82,198 crore, reflecting a 10.7% growth rate.
• The government aims to achieve a 1 trillion USD economy by 2034. The budget emphasises infrastructure development, welfare programmes, urban expansion, and economic growth.

Key Financial Indicators

• Expenditure Profile: Out of the total outlay, Rs 2,34,406 crore is allocated for revenue expenditure and Rs 47,267 crore for capital expenditure.
• Economic Growth: Telangana’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) at current prices is estimated at Rs 17,82,198 crore, reflecting a growth rate of 10.7%, which is 2.7% higher than the national average.

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